


each kiss to lip and cheek

by SebGray



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Body Image, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Misunderstandings, Nonbinary Character, Roommates, Trans Male Character, Unsafe Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:27:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23099308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SebGray/pseuds/SebGray
Summary: Fjord was a mess when he moved into Caduceus’s apartment. After Avantika dumped him and Vandran went missing, he needed someone to lean on, someone to trust. Jester and Beau had no room for him since Yasha had taken over the couch, Caleb and Molly were too much in their honeymoon phase for Fjord to feel like anything other than a third wheel, and Nott and Yeza had a screaming toddler. Caduceus didn’t know him nearly as well as the others, but they had a spare room, and to be honest, it was getting a bit lonely in there. Plants weren’t great conversationalists, after all.
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Fjord
Comments: 4
Kudos: 162





	each kiss to lip and cheek

Fjord was a mess when he moved into Caduceus’s apartment. After Avantika dumped him and Vandran went missing, he needed someone to lean on, someone to trust. Jester and Beau had no room for him since Yasha had taken over the couch, Caleb and Molly were too much in their honeymoon phase for Fjord to feel like anything other than a third wheel, and Nott and Yeza had a screaming toddler. Caduceus didn’t know him nearly as well as the others, but they had a spare room, and to be honest, it was getting a bit lonely in there. Plants weren’t great conversationalists, after all.

All Fjord had was a large duffle bag and a backpack. He looked tired, hollow-eyed, thin. Caduceus patted him on the shoulder and said, “Hey, it’s okay.”

“Thanks, Deuces,” Fjord said, looking around at the place. They had forgotten he hadn’t been at their place yet. There were a lot of plants, a lot of art. Jester once called their couch a “grandma sofa” because of the floral pattern but it was comfortable enough. Fjord looked oddly at the TV. “Does that have...a VCR player in it?”

“Yes,” said Caduceus. “Works like a charm.”

Fjord snorted softly. “Please don’t tell me I have one in my room.”

“No, you just have a radio.” Caduceus led him inside to his bedroom. This one was a bit more plain. Caduceus had taken down all of Clarabelle’s old stuff and all of the plants he had set there, and now there was just the furniture, a lamp, the sheets and duvet and old quilt, and the radio, as promised. Fjord looked around. “Feel free to decorate once you’ve gotten on your feet.”

“Yeah. Speaking of, we haven’t mentioned rent--”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Caduceus with a smile. “I earn enough to pay rent and utilities and all that. Once you get a good job, we can discuss money matters. For now, unpack, get comfortable. I’m going to make lunch. I hope you don’t mind vegetarian food because it’s all I got.”

“I don’t eat soy, but other than that, I’m fine,” said Fjord, setting down his bags. “Thank you, by the way.”

“You’re welcome,” said Caduceus, nodding, before going into the kitchen and whipping up a couple omelets. They made their own first so it could cool before craning their neck to ask Fjord, “What do you want in your eggs?”

After a pause, Fjord said, “You got any bell peppers?”

“Yeah,” said Caduceus, “I got some for myself. I also chopped some onions and tomatoes. You want any of that?”

“Yes onions, no tomatoes,” said Fjord.

“Cheese?”

“Please. Thank you!”

Caduceus smiled. It was very nice cooking for someone other than themselves for once.

* * *

Over the weeks, Fjord slowly came to fit into the small apartment. Caduceus was surprised at how easily he slotted into their life, and how comfortably. Fjord bloomed in the apartment. Smiled a lot, laughed some. Caduceus liked the way Fjord felt in their home.

They liked him, too.

One day, they came home from work, feeling a bit more exhausted than normal. Work was busy, and Mama and Papa were barely at the tea shop, so they were left floundering to get everything out. They left work and walked home feeling bone tired, achy, hollow, and utterly tapped out.

When they smelled food wafting out from the kitchen, they smiled softly.

Inside, Fjord was making pasta. The kitchen was a mess, but the air was thick with the aroma of herbs. As soon as Caduceus shut the apartment door, Fjord looked up with a smile. “Hey, Cad,” said Fjord, grinning. “Thought I’d surprise you. You like pasta?”

Caduceus grinned, approaching the stove. “You aren’t using that jarred stuff, right?”

“No, no, you taught me better than that. I found a good recipe. All vegetarian, nothing really difficult. Actually cooking is fun.” Fjord’s proud expression made Caduceus grin.

“Maybe you should do it more often,” Caduceus said, approaching the couch as they laid down on it and sighed.

“How was work?” Fjord asked.

The smile on Caduceus’s face melted. “Busy. Overwhelmingly so. It hasn’t been this bad in a few weeks, and Mama and Papa were hardly there. I had to do nearly everything by myself.”

“Ugh. I’m sorry, Caduceus.” Fjord began scooping pasta onto two plates. “Would getting someone in there working with you help?”

Caduceus shrugged. “Maybe. Why?”

“Well, I was looking for a job, now that I’m feeling better, and I was thinking I could start with your shop.”

With raised eyebrows, Caduceus replied, “I thought you thought dead people tea was creepy.”

“I never said it was creepy.”

“Do you want me to ask Caleb? Because I definitely remember you saying it was creepy.”

Fjord sighed. “Did you get parmesan from the store last time you went?”

“No. Are we out?”

“Yeah.”

Caduceus sighed. “We still have mozzarella, right?”

“That’ll work.” Fjord ducked into the fridge and grabbed the bag of shredded cheese, bringing it out to the small table in the kitchen before looking up at Caduceus. He sighed. “You wanna eat there?”

“Sure,” said Caduceus, sitting up properly. Caduceus brought the coffee table forward as Fjord sat down next to them, setting down the plates and cheese. “So, you wanna work at the shop?”

“If you don’t mind,” Fjord said, grabbing a handful of cheese and pouring it generously over his pasta. “And if you think your parents wouldn’t mind.”

“I don’t think so. Mama is busy with the funeral home and cemetery now that our green burial movements are drumming up business, and Papa is working on the charity to save the forest. I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t complain about more hands at the shop, especially since we’re already down one worker.” Caduceus frowned as the sadness in their chest bloomed, like a dangerous flower. Summing up Clarabelle’s death to something so simple and meaningless as that felt massively reductive.

“Yeah. Should I fill out an application? Call your mom and dad?” Fjord swirled his pasta together so the sauce and cheese mixed evenly. 

As they poked at their food, Caduceus shook their head. “No. I think I can just ask and they’ll talk to you at some point this week. I honestly don’t know if we’ve ever even made applications. It’s just...always been a family thing.” With a shrug, they took a bite of their food, mumbling, “This is really good, Fjord.”

Fjord blushed and muttered a quick thanks before adding, “Should I not ask then?”

Caduceus looked up, pausing. Then they shook their head after a moment’s thought and said, “No. You’re pretty much family to me.”

Fjord stared up at them, blinking. His cheeks got that ruddy brown color when he was nervous, and Caduceus felt their heart stutter. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Of course.” Caduceus grinned softly. Fjord quickly looked away, more nervous now, eating quickly, not catching their glance. Caduceus was confused -- had they said something wrong? Maybe it was something to do with Vandran. They weren’t sure.

* * *

Fjord put on the apron, following Caduceus’s lead as he shifted awkwardly. It was early, and his first day, so Caduceus couldn’t blame him for being nervous. But, it wasn’t hard for him to figure things out. The POS system was easy enough to explain, as were the basic opening tasks and closing tasks. Pretty quickly, Fjord fit into the small tea shop like a glove and actually managed to impress Caduceus more than once.

The shift passed like a breeze, to the point that Caduceus didn’t realize it was time for them to go until Colton came into the shop. They hurriedly showed him how to count the till, split the tips they’d earned, hung up their aprons and headed out the door together.

“Damn! Forgot what it was like to earn money!” Fjord grinned wider than Caduceus had seen in a while, and they felt their heart pang a little. “Guess I’ll have to save up to take you out to dinner or something.”

As soon as he said the comment, they both froze. Caduceus felt warmth creep up along their neck, and Fjord turned a ruddy shade of brown. “Uh, I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, quietly. “Like a friend thing, you know?”

Caduceus nodded, feeling...disappointed? They weren’t sure why. They just managed a mumbling, “Oh, it’s fine,” before continuing their walk.

They didn’t know why that hurt.

* * *

The day passed quietly. Too quietly for Caduceus. The two barely talked after that comment, like it had suddenly raised a wall between them that neither knew how to climb. It was terrifying to them.

They wanted to talk, to make Fjord laugh, to take that nervous, guarded look off of his face. But doing that felt...strange, now. Like in order to do so, they’d have to show something they’d been hiding.

But they didn’t know what it was.

Caduceus went to bed early. They were worn out, they murmured to Fjord, and truth be told, they were. The anxiety was exhausting, settling into their bones like lead. They just wanted to sleep.

And they did. For a time.

When they awoke, though, they felt sick. Feverish, like their body was on fire. They threw off the thick quilt, thinking that would help. No, they were still covered in sweat. Caduceus tried to turn on the ceiling fan, making it go up full blast, even though they were certain Fjord would be able to hear shake. Their body wouldn’t cool down, and they started to panic. What was happening to them?

Then they began to get aroused.

That made them  _ really _ panic.

Caduceus had been known amongst their family for not having ruts like firbolgs usually did. Their siblings had had plenty of heats and ruts since adolescence when they could bond with someone deeply at the drop of a hat. But they’d never gone through it, had never fallen for anyone. They were too busy going to school, going to work, visiting their family. They spent too much time alone. But now, with Fjord...he’d done them in. Their feelings for him sunk in like the fever did, becoming astonishingly clear.

But what to do?

They knew there were methods to make their rut stop or equipment that would do the trick. But Caduceus had nothing on hand, knew nothing that could help. And if it continued, it wouldn’t stop. It would worsen, and they’d heard about the negative effects of extended ruts from plenty of anatomy classes. Having erections for more than four hours was not an alternative they’d like to indulge. But it was the middle of the night, and they had no idea what else to do.

On the other side of the wall they shared with Fjord’s room, they heard the bed creak.

Caduceus closed their eyes.  _ It’s okay. Don’t worry. He’s probably just using the bathroom. No big deal. _ Sure enough, the door to his room opened with a creak. However, as it did, a scent slowly wafted in, like heavy perfume, and Caduceus’s cock  _ throbbed _ at the smell of it.

They’d forgotten folks with orcish lineages had reactive heats.

Oh, dear Melora.

Fjord’s footsteps on the creaking floor did not, unfortunately, go to the bathroom across the hall. Caduceus listened to them approaching their door. They inhaled sharply as they heard him knock. “Hey, uh, Cad? Is everything alright?”

Caduceus wanted to lie. Wanted to tell him it was fine, they were just sick, don’t worry, go back to your room, it’ll be fine. But it wasn’t. It really, really wasn’t. Hesitantly, they stood from the sweat-soaked sheets of their bed, moving slowly, tiredly. “Uh...no. No, it isn’t.”

“Oh, shit, can I come in? Do you need anything? Should I call your mom or something?” Fjord’s voice was tight with concern and worry. As Caduceus approached, however, the sickly sweet smell of his arousal was crystal clear.

“No, I need to talk to you. About what’s going on.”

“Do you want me to come in? Because this door is in the way and--”

“ _ No _ ,” they interrupted, hating how sharp it turned. “No. I need to tell you first. You need to know.”

“Okay…”

Caduceus sighed. “Firbolgs and those descended from them have this thing where if you’re compatible with someone -- not their family or anything -- and you form a deep bond with them, you start having...heats, or ruts. And I thought I couldn’t have ruts, but that was because I spent a lot of time at home, I didn’t have a lot of friends. I never...fell in love. With anyone.”

“So...you’re in love with someone?” Fjord’s voice sounded sad. “Who?”

“Uh,” Caduceus furrowed their brow. “ _ You _ .”

“Oh.” Caduceus could hear Fjord shift his weight from foot to foot as the floorboards creaked beneath him. “Well, uh...I’ve been meaning to tell you but...I didn’t mean dinner as a friend thing. I...I really like you. I can’t say I’m in love because I’m not good with that sorta shit, but...I do want to go on dates, hold your hand and all that.”

Their chest slowly lifted. “I mean...would you want to...deal with this then? Now?”

“Is there a better option? Because jacking off for me doesn’t normally help.”

Caduceus chuckled softly. “Fair. Let me put something on, then I’ll open the door, okay?”

“Sure thing,” Fjord said. They could hear the smile returning to his voice, and they felt their own grin flutter back as they hurried to grab a robe, hoping it wasn’t too sheer or thin.

“I’m going to open the door now,” they said as they fumbled to tie up the robe and get their hand on the knob.

“Okay…” Fjord said.

Caduceus opened the door and...okay, wow. In the low, dim light of the hallway, Fjord’s face was a bit cut by the shadows, making the masculine features on his face more distinct. He wore a sweater --  _ their _ sweater, they realized, recognizing the soft scent just underneath the strong layer of his smell, and the pattern in the knitting that Fjord had once joked was “grandma-style”. On him, it was huge and baggy, easily taking over his chest and arms, reaching down to just below the top of his thigh. The sight of him, the  _ smell _ of him...it made their heart  _ pound _ . 

“Uh,” said Fjord, freezing a bit, eyes wide, nervous. He fiddled with the too-long sleeves as his cheeks turned a ruddy brown. “Hi.”

“Hi,” said Caduceus, fiddling a bit themselves. “Do you...want to come in? It’s a bit of a mess.”

“Sure.” He came in slowly. In the dim yellow lamplight, he now looked...clearer, but still handsome. Still him. Fjord sat on the bed. Caduceus narrowly caught him looking them up and down, settling on a certain bit of  _ down _ part before noticing Caduceus saw him. His eyes darted away and Caduceus realized the robe was, in fact, way more sheer than they thought, and their cock was way too hard to hide.

“Ah, sorry,” they said, covering their erection as best they could before awkwardly sitting next to him, hands in their lap. Now that they were this close to him, they could  _ smell _ his heat so clearly that it made everything throb. They clenched their fists and jaw, trying to keep their mind clear.

“So, uh…” Fjord said, and Caduceus noticed he was just as tense as they were. “Now what?”

“I don’t know. I’ve...never done this before.”

“Yeah, I can tell,” he said, chuckling a little to alleviate the slight dig at them. “So...do you  _ want _ to do something with me?” Fjord rubbed at his neck as he looked up at them confidently for the first time in hours. His other hand moved close to Caduceus’s hip, and they could practically feel his warmth radiating off him.

After a moment’s hesitation, they nodded. “Yes. I do.”

“Okay. So what’s stopping you? If I didn’t want anything, I wouldn’t have come in here.”

“I suppose I hadn’t thought of that. I was worried. And, like I said, I...don’t know what to do. I mean, is this even safe?”

“Well, are you clean? Have you been tested recently?”

“Yeah. Mama badgered me into doing it last week.” They chuckled when they made a realization. “I think she might’ve thought we were already doing it?”

Fjord snorted. “Well, okay. And I’m clean, too. Been on testosterone for a good long while, but we can also get Plan B and stuff in the morning just in case. I know condoms can help in ruts, but it can make it take a lot longer and I don’t know if that’s what you need.”

That made sense, though Caduceus was so hard and sensitive they weren’t confident they could get past the tip before coming undone. “Yeah. Whatever makes you comfortable. You’re the one facing the most risk.”

“I think it’ll work, yeah,” Fjord said softly. He gently took one of their hands, still tightly clenched in their lap, and held it, intertwining his fingers with theirs. His hand was rough, calloused, and very, very warm. “This okay?” he asked gently.

Caduceus nodded. “Yes.” They looked more towards him. His face was...so sweet and caring. Hesitantly, Caduceus cupped Fjord’s cheek. He sighed into the contact, skin warm as his eyes fluttered shut. “Can I...kiss you?” they asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Fjord said with a nod as the two closed the gap.

The height difference made things awkward, Fjord’s lips were chapped and rough, and Caduceus barely had any idea of what they were doing, but it was...good. It felt natural, felt right. Like their lips were made to slot together. Fjord’s hand moved to Caduceus’s jaw as the kiss slowly intensified. In the gaps between, when they stopped to breathe, Caduceus could just barely notice Fjord’s look of devotion. 

Caduceus’s hands moved to Fjord’s sweater. “You stole this, didn’t you,” they said, softly, almost teasingly.

“Uh, maybe,” Fjord said, ruddy blush returning as he kissed Caduceus some more.

“I thought you didn’t like it,” Caduceus said, head cocking slightly.

“You changed my mind about it.”

“Why, did you get used to seeing me in grandma clothes?”

“No,” Fjord said, pausing in his attempts to kiss them. “‘Cause you were the one wearing them.”

Caduceus blushed, heart melting a bit. “Oh.” 

“Yeah.” Fjord looked away, nervous. “I...think I might’ve caught feelings a while back. Now that I think about it.”

With a soft grin, Caduceus just kissed Fjord again.

They moved to lay down on the bed. Caduceus was thankful Fjord didn’t mind the sweaty sheets. After a moment, Fjord shifted, facing Caduceus more as his hands moved slowly up to their sides, brushing softly. Caduceus was so sensitive, his light touches sent shivers up and down their back.

Things eventually slowly warmed up more. Caduceus could feel Fjord’s scent surge slightly as his kisses became more intense, and his hands slowly moved to the knot of their robe. “Can I?” he asked bluntly, fingers tugged slightly at the ribbon.

“Please,” Caduceus whispered.

Fjord untied the knot, helping Caduceus slip it off. He got a  _ long _ look at Caduceus’s naked frame. For a moment, Caduceus worried that Fjord was suddenly going to get turned off. They were thin, perhaps not healthily so. Under his eye, they were realizing it now, and their heart started thudding in a not-so-fun way. Fjord’s brow furrowed. “You okay to be doing this?”  _ Translation: you look sickly, _ Caduceus thought.

They leaned back, lying down, staring at the ceiling. “I was struggling a lot too when you moved in.”

“I mean, I heard about you and Clarabelle--”

“Yeah, that. I just have trouble taking care of myself when I’m stressed or depressed or busy. You know how I don’t take lunch breaks very often at work?”

“Ah. I see.” Fjord nodded. “You still okay, though?”

“As long as I don’t have to pick you up and throw you around, I should be alright,” Caduceus said.

“Okay.” Fjord leaned over them, hand on their chest as he kissed them, soft and slow this time. That interruption meant they had to rebuild the intensity, which was a bit annoying but not bad. Now that that had been mentioned, Caduceus felt oddly cared for. Fjord’s touches returned to being gentle, kind. Once or twice, their lips broke apart, only for Fjord to wander and peck all over Caduceus’s face, making them laugh before settling back into the pace of kissing properly. 

If Caduceus hadn’t been led primarily by the thing between their legs, they might’ve cried.

Once the buildup was regained, Caduceus began undressing Fjord. His body was lovely. He had gotten a bit of fat on him from good feeding, but he’d been working out too, in his spare time. Gaining muscle and all that. His chest was defined, toned. Caduceus fainted detected soft scars along the sides of his chest and grinned. He looked so handsome with them.

Beneath the sweater, Fjord wore short boxer briefs that hugged his hips and were completely soaked. Caduceus already knew they’d have to do laundry, but this was a bit shocking. Once they slipped them off, the smell was so strong, so enticing, that Caduceus’s whole body was  _ throbbing _ with need. Their breathing escalated, and Fjord chuckled a bit. “You ready?” His voice was as gentle as his hands, stroking Caduceus’s cheek and pushing their hair out of their face.

Caduceus nodded. “Please,” they whispered.

Fjord grinned, rolling over to his back, spreading his legs so they could see, so they could  _ smell _ him. “Fuck me, Caduceus,” he asked.

With a fire in them, Caduceus surged forward to kiss Fjord, sliding between his legs as they adjusted themselves to fit within him. Thankfully with the heat, no prepping was really needed, though Caduceus did try to remind themselves they’d have to do it next time. His cunt felt...weird at first. Wet and tight and warm, but good.  _ Very _ good. Fjord moaned loudly as Caduceus felt his legs wrap around their waist. They gasped softly as he pushed them into him, breathing heavily.

Slowly, Caduceus thrust their hips in and out. A feral desire formed up and down their spine, but with clenched jaw and hands, they restrained themselves, focusing on Fjord’s voice. They wanted to make sure he was okay, not in pain, but all he did was moan as his hands wandered over Caduceus’s chest, over the bumps of their ribs. “Caduceus, please,” he moaned. “Faster, please.”

Caduceus obeyed, letting the feral need creep down as they moved faster, deeper. Their gasps were now more grunts as they tried to stay quiet, avoid making a ton of noise for the sake of the neighbors.

Fjord’s mouth moved to their neck, and in between moans they sucked and nipped at their skin with their tusks. In a soft, breathy whisper, Fjord muttered, “You can be loud, Deuces. The neighbors won’t mind.”

Like they had been given permission, Caduceus began to moan, voice gruff and lower than they usually spoke. In a scrabble, they pinned Fjord’s hands above his head, making him gasp and shudder. Leaning over him, Caduceus thrust hard into Fjord, skin against skin as their scents mingled like the flowers at the tea shop. Fjord muttered something that sounded like  _ close, please _ , as they felt his cunt tighten and his legs pull in. He cried out urgently, pulling Caduceus in close. The sound of their Fjord in pleasure dragged the orgasm out of them, and they thanked Melora for the invention of contraceptives.

Settled in the aftermath, tangled up together in the sweat and exhaustion and panting breath, Caduceus shifted to kiss Fjord as they felt his strong arms around him. “I love you,” he muttered, sleepily.

Caduceus grinned. “ _ I love you _ ,” they said in Sylvan as they slipped into sleep.


End file.
